But Like, Can Regular People Have Alter Egos?

OK, so we talk all about alter egos on episode eight of the Boom Tequila Podcast and Jodi and I were a little divided on this question.

Note: When we talk about alter egos in this article, we are talking about characters that one leans into to express or explore parts of a single, multifaceted personality. We are not talking about egos associated with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), multiple personalities, or any other condition that would require a behavioral health provider to be a subject matter expert in.

Jodi felt like this should really be reserved more for celebrities. She gave the example that if you just showed up to work one day fully engrossed in a new character… well it probably wouldn’t fare well for you. She liked the idea but thought outside of your “fake bar name” it really was a non-starter.

I on the other hand think that, like the great Brad Mondo once said (always says)… “live your extra life!” I am all for the idea of leaning in to an alter ego or three. Maybe it’s because, as we were putting the alter egos podcast together, I realised that I’ve had an alter ego for years… or maybe it’s because I just love the idea of leaning into a character to explore and express different sides of our personalities.

I don’t think everyone can pull of alter egos and I think there is a time and a place. I have to agree that a professional work setting is probably not the place… unless you accidentally end up with one of your alter egos as your name tag at a corporate event, but you’ll have to listen to the podcast for that story.

What I like about the idea of using an alter ego though is the ability to let go of the walls we build and tend to confine ourselves to… The “I could never do that” or the “but what would people think” statements that we let hold us back sometimes. I think it would be cool to just feel like it’s OK to be a little “out of character” here and there, and I could see where an alter ego could give you the confidence to break down some of those walls.

What do you need to successfully pull of an alter ego?

Well in my humble opinion, you need these things:

The confidence (or courage) to actually do it.
A level of self-awareness to use this in a healthy way and not do something that would ultimately be detrimental to your well-being.
An understanding of social norms enough know when and where to lean into this character without totally making it weird for everyone.
The creativity to come up with your alter ego. (It does not need to be mapped out, just come up with a concept and develop it as you go… or leave it and start anew.)

Have you ever used an alter ego?

I really actually want to know this. Comment on this blog or DM us on IG @boomtequilapodcast. But seriously – whether it’s your go-to fake name at a bar persona or a full-on developed character – let me know if you’ve ever used an alter ego and any deets you’re willing to share.